KVL fabriek Oisterwijk
Leerfabriek KVL has been transformed into a creative place! With various catering establishments and unique organizations, there is always something to do at KVL!
Learning Factory KVL
This former factory site has been transformed into a dynamic place to live, work and stay. With a beautiful residential area surrounding the monumental buildings, KVL has become a unique hotspot where history and modern life come together. Art, culture, craft and gastronomy meet in an impressive industrial setting.
You will find on this site the EKWC, where artists from all over the world make art out of clay. O...
Leerfabriek KVL has been transformed into a creative place! With various catering establishments and unique organizations, there is always something to do at KVL!
Learning Factory KVL
This former factory site has been transformed into a dynamic place to live, work and stay. With a beautiful residential area surrounding the monumental buildings, KVL has become a unique hotspot where history and modern life come together. Art, culture, craft and gastronomy meet in an impressive industrial setting.
You will find on this site the EKWC, where artists from all over the world make art out of clay. Also located here is the artisan bakery and store of Master Pastry Chef and Master Boulanger Robèrt van Beckhoven. In the former Ketelhuis, you'll find a 100-year-old steam engine still working. For breakfast, lunch or coffee with something tasty, go to De Kazerne or Koffiemiep. In addition, the modern Fletcher Hotel-Restaurant Oisterwijk-Tilburg offers overnight accommodations in a unique setting, with a breathtaking atrium that makes the atmosphere extra special.
The rich history of KVL
In October 1916, Christ van der Aa founded the NV Lederfabriek Oisterwijk, taken over by Adler and Oppenheimer in 1920. From the building where the European Ceramic Work Center (EKWC) is now located, the factory grew into the largest leather factory in Europe. At its peak, 25,000 hides were tanned daily on an 11-acre site. The work was hard and dirty, but the social amenities were exceptional for the time: its own sports club, dressing station, social worker and company fire department. In 2000, the factory closed its doors due to increasing competition from low-wage countries. Almijstraat received its name in 1927, named after the Amsterdamse Leder Maatschappij (Almij), which acquired a large portion of the factory's shares in 1924. The name Koninklijke Lederfabrieken Oisterwijk (KLO) changed to Koninklijke Verenigde Leder (KVL) in 1974. This name remained attached to the site as a permanent reminder.
Watch this video to learn more about the history of the Leerfabriek KVL.
